Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 139 June to November 1919 . or lower, then a double layer ofdeerskins will prevent any thawing tak-ing place underneath the bed, the snowthere remaining as dry as sand in adesert. When the floor has been covered andthe bedding, cooking-gear, writing ma-terials, and other things brought in, afire is lighted, the fuel varying accordingto circumstances. The end to be gained,if fuel is abundant, is to heat the houseuntil the snow in its roof and walls be-gins to thaw. If the fuel allows it, wesometimes bring the temperature within-doors temporarily as high as e
Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 139 June to November 1919 . or lower, then a double layer ofdeerskins will prevent any thawing tak-ing place underneath the bed, the snowthere remaining as dry as sand in adesert. When the floor has been covered andthe bedding, cooking-gear, writing ma-terials, and other things brought in, afire is lighted, the fuel varying accordingto circumstances. The end to be gained,if fuel is abundant, is to heat the houseuntil the snow in its roof and walls be-gins to thaw. If the fuel allows it, wesometimes bring the temperature within-doors temporarily as high as eighty de-grees Fahrenheit. We keep feeling of theroof and walls to watch the progress ofthawing. The thawing, of course, ismost rapid in the roof, as the hot airaccumulates against it, and usually thelowest tier of blocks near the floor doesnot thaw at all. As thawing proceedsno dripping occurs, because dry snow isthe best sort of blotter and soaks thewater into itself as fast as it the inner layer of the roof hasbecome properly wet with the thawing. THE LAST BLOCK BUT ONE IN PLACEVol. CXXXIX.—No. 202 HARPERS MONTHLY MAGAZINE and the walls damp to a less degree, weeither put out the fire temporarily ormake a large hole in the roof, or both,and allow the house to freeze. Thisforms a glazing film of ice for the house,giving it far greater strength than it hadbefore, with the further advantage thatif you rub against the glazed surfacescarcely anything will adhere to yourclothing, while if you were to rub againstthe dry snow before the glazing takesplace you would get your shoulder white,with a good deal of the snow perhapsfalling on the bed. After this glazing thehouse is so strong that, without takingspecial care, any number of men couldclimb on top of it, and polar bears may,and occasionally do, walk over thesehouses, and I have never known of onebreaking. Their strength, however, issomewhat the same as the strength ofan egg-shell, and while they are difficu
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